Revision as of 20:25, March 19, 2013

A wandless spell is a spell which is performed without the use of a wand. This form of magic can be particularly volatile, and can only be used effectively by powerful and disciplined wizards and witches. Sometimes, specific hand gestures focus the power of the spell and guide it to the target.

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Underage magic

Wandless spells are often used in cases of underage magic, in which children under the age of eleven, who have no wands, sometimes use magic. This is known as Accidental Wandless Magic. On most of these occasions, the children have no control over their abilities, and will unintentionally use magic when upset or in danger. Some children, however, exert some control over their magic, but they are untrained in proper spells. For example, Tom Riddle was able to hurt people and influence animals before he even knew of the existence of the wizarding world[1], and Lily Evans was able to use magic to stop herself falling as fast as normal and also to manipulate a flower. Harry Potter was known to use wandless magic to grow his hair among other things, and Hermione Granger used her ability to practice by jumping off a tree and attempting to stop her fall.

Non-human wandless magic

Elves and Goblins are able to perform magic without wands. Goblins sometimes refer to wizards and witches as "wand bearers" and humans' failure to share wand knowledge with goblins is a source of ill-feeling between the two species.

Tom Riddle, a.k.a Lord Voldemort, also only performed wandless magic in the films, not counting the controlled magic he performed prior to going to Hogwarts. In the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire film, Voldemort wandlessly knocked Harry to the ground, deflected Harry's Disarming Charm by waving his hand, and magically lifted Harry from the ground with one hand, apparently applying force to the latter's face whilst forcing him to his feet. He again used wandless magic on Harry in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, impatiently disarming the boy with a wave of his wand-free hand. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Voldemort again used wandless magic to move a dead giant out of the way and to restrain Harry by using his cloak.

In the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Draco Malfoy appears to close the shutters on the Hogwarts Express without a wand (though he uses his wand to place a full Body-Bind curse on Harry Potter moments later).

In the book Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry casts the Lumos spell in the dark alley to get some light and find his wand. The spell was cast without the wand in his hand and yet the wand itself performed the Lumos spell which allowed him to know where the wand was.